Liquid-sealed fluid storage apparatus



Aug-28,1945 w. G. LAIRD 2,383,555

LIQUID-SEALED FLUID STORAGE APPARATUS Filed June 11, 1945 INVENTOR WILBUR G. LAIRD A'i-roRNEY Patented Aug. 28, 1945 LIQUID-SEALED FLUID STORAGE APPARATUS Wilbur G. Laird, Pleasantville, N. Y.

Application June 11, 1943, Serial No. 490,447 I 9 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for storing liquids, vapors and gases, and more particularly to improvements in large expansion roof liquid storage tanks particularly adapted for the conservation of vapors evolved from the stored liquid.

Expansion roof tanks are used to a considerable extent and their advantages in the storage of petroleum products containing gasoline type constituents is well understood. Tanks of this type, as shown and described by Graver Patent No. 2,277,398, include a large upright cylindrical container provided at the top with a launder or "annular space adapted to contain a sealing liquid, and a bell-type roof which dips into the launder and seals in the liquid therein' The principal drawback to the extensive use of this type of tank of large diameter is the high cost of constructing the launder and expansion roof associated therewith. One large item of this 'cost is involved in the provision of at least one, and sometimes more, steel ring-girders to reinforce the inside launder wall so that it will withstand the strain of the hydrostatic head of liquid in the launder when not counterbalanced by an equivalent head of liquid in the tank.

Such a reinforcing girder is shown in the abovementioned patent, as located a short distance below the top of the tank wall, and a second such girder is suggested. For large diameter tanks, girders of this type must be very heavy and shaped to lit the curvature of the launder wall. The necessity of reinforcing the inner wall of the launder will be appreciated when it is realized that for a tank of only 120 ft. diameter the curvature is so slight that the archeffect of the steel plate, without reinforcement, offers little support against the head of liquid in the launder. The girder rings now used must therefore be heavy enough to take much of the hydrostatic load in the launder, because the liquid may remain in the launder whereas the tank may be empty or only partly filled with liquid at any given time. The use of thickerthan-usual plate for the inside wall of the launder, would add little strength in comparison with the metal used, and would disproportionately increase the cost.

Those familiar with this art will understand that when a tank -of this type is filled with -a normal internal stress on the inside launder wall; that when :both launder and tank are filled with liquid (assuming both liquids are at the same level and are of the same specific gravity) the inside launder wall is unstressed and the outside launder wall carries the normal internal stress, including that of the liquid in the launder; but that when the launder is filled with liquid and the liquid level in the tank is below the bottom of the launder, then vestment to provide for a condition (an empty or partially filled tank) that may occur only at long intervals and during short periods.

I, have discovered that a launder of the type referred to may be safely constructed and the inner wall adequately supported or stayed without the use of the usual heavy girders, and that "other expensive features of present expansion roof tanks can be eliminated by the construction of such tanks in accordance with the present invention. I have discovered moreover that the inside wall of a launder of a liquid-sealed expansion roof tank can be suitably stayed or supported from the outside wall of the launder while permitting the free and normal movement of the roof-skirt up and down in the launder.

The features and advantages of the present invention will be understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a broken horizontal sectional view taken on the line |l of Fig.' 2, illustrating one embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the arrangement of the staying means for the inside wall of the launder of an expansion roof tank constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a'view of the inside of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 looking from the right.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged broken horizontal sectional view of one form of a part of the immeans.

Fig. '7 is a view showing a further modification of the staying means arranged to keep the roof in horizontal position.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing, which show only broken sections of the upper portion of an upright cylindrical liquid storage tank of large diameter, the apparatus comprises a vertical cylindrical side wall in which is the normal wall of the tank and which is provided at its upper edge with the usual angle curb l2. The upper portion of the tank wall is surrounded by an annular launder l4 comprised of an outer cylindrical wall [6 and a bottom I8 which is welded or otherwise secured to the wall H] which serves as the inner cylindrical wall of the launder. Tank launders are sometimes built inside the tank wall and may be in connection with the present invention, although outside launders have certain advantages and are preferred. The upper rim of the launder wall it is provided with the usual angle curb which is riveted, welded or otherwise secured to the top of the wall, the same as the curb l2. These curbs may be of relatively light construction and serve to stiffen and reinforce the rim of the tank. The tank as illustrated is provided with an expansion belltype roof or lift comprising a roof plate 22, a cylindrical skirt 24 of a diameter adapted to conform approximately to the center of the launder l4. An outside cylindricalwall or skirt 26, having an angle curb 28, may be provided to protect the launder nd bell against rain, snow, dust, dirt, etc.

In the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the cylindrical skirt 24 is made up in sections (as indicated in Fig. l) which are separated by I-beams 30. The sections of the skirt 24 are butt-welded or otherwise secured in a fluid-tight manner to approximately the middle of the web of the I- beam 30, as shown, so as to form a substantiallycontinuous cylindrical skirt or wall which is sealed in the liquid provided in the launder 14. The I-lbeams in the apparatus shown in Figs, 1, 2 and 3 are mounted vertically and preferably distributed at uniformly spaced positions around the launder. They may be and preferably are as long as the skirt 24 is deep, and may be secured to the roof plate 22 if desired.

The I-beams 30 serve in connection with opposite sets of rollers 32 and 34 to stay the inner wall ill of the launder :4 to the outer wall l6 and prevent the collapse of the inner wall by the hydrostatic pressure exerted by the sealing liquid in the launder. As shown in Fig. 1, the sets of rollers 32 are mounted on brackets 36 and 38, one on each side of the I-lbeam 30, the brackets being secured to the upper part of the wall 10 and the curb l2. The brackets 36 and 3B are mounted so that the rollers 32 engage the inner I-beam flanges as shown, to the right of the skirt 24-. On the opposite side of the skirt 24, the sets of rollers 34 are similarly mountedon brackets 40 and 42 on the other side of the I-beam 30, so that the rollers 34 engage the outside flanges of the I-beam, to the left of the skirt 24 in Fig. 1. The brackets 43 and 42 are secured to the upper part of the launder wall l6 and to the curb 2B.

. .'It, will be apparent from the showing in Fig. 1 that any force exerted by the launder liquid tending to collapse the wall [0 will be transmitted through the brackets 36 and 38, the sets of rollers 32, the I-beam 30, the rollers 34 and the brackets 40 and 42 to the outside wall l6, which will obviously be subject to as great a force or pressure from the liquid head in the launder.

= portion of the I-beam and walls.

The walls l0 and Hi, When provided with stay units at distributed positions, are therefore effectively and securely tied together or distancestayed and prevented from spreading apart, while at the same time the expansion roof is free to move up and down with the sets of rollers 32 and 34 engaging the flanges of the I-beam 30 at each position.

In Fig. 2, as shown, each set of rollers 32 and 34 includes three rollers'in vertical arrangement on both sides of the web of the I-beam 30. One roller in each position will be sufficient in many cases, but a plurality of rollers in vertical arrangement distributes the load over a greater The number oftrack positions may depend on the size of the tank and on various factors of construction. The number of rollers to be used will be determined to large extent by the spacing of the I-beams and the depth of the launder. The rollers may have roller or ball bearing mountings, but in most cases this is not necessary, because the movement of the roof is very slow and no great amount of friction is involved. The brackets 36, 38, 40 and 42 re welded or otherwise secured to the curbs l2 and 20 and to the upper part of the walls Hi and I6. While the drawing shows the rollers as attached to the launder walls and engaging the tracks on the roof skirt according to the preferred form of the invention, the same effect will obtain if rollers are attached to the roof skirt so as to always engage a suitable track or tracks on the launder walls. Also, the rollers may be replaced by shoes if desired which engage and slide on the track flanges, although the friction and wear will be greater with shoes than with rollers. It will also be obvious to those skilled in the art that other forms of track or equivalent means in which the flanges turn in or out may be used as occasion may warrant, but the standard rolled sections illustrated in the drawing will be found inexpensive and are preferred.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the I-beam arrangement of Fig. 1, showing adjacent sections of the roof skirt 24 welded to opposite sides of the web of the I-beam 30. Instead of constructing I the track portion of the staying means in this manner it may be made as in Fig. 5, in which a completed cylindrical roof skirt 44 is provided with T-irons or beams 46 welded-on opposite each other, to give a track structure of almost the same section as that of Figs. 1 and 4.

The track-on each side of the skirt may be of angle iron (facing oppositely) in Fig. 4, and a 2- iron in Fig. 4, but the double tracks as provided by I- or T-section are preferred. Track of other suitable section may be used. In any of the forms the rollers and tracks serve as guides in addition to their function as stays for the launder walls, and serve to prevent horizontal movement and rotation of the roof, and to keep the skirt centered in the launder.

Fig. 6 illustrates a modified arrangement in which the brackets and rollers are mounted somewhat 'below the top of the launder, and nearly at the level of greatest strain on the inner wall. This apparatus comprises a tank having a wall 50, an outer launder wall 52, a launder bottom 54, a roof plate 56 and a roof skirt 58 in which is fastened a number of I-beams 60 (other desirable track sections may be used) which extend below the bottom edge of the skirt 58 approximately the distance the brackets are below the top of the tank wall 50. The staying means for the walls and 52 includessets of rollers and brackets 62 and 64 at each-staying"position, similar to those of Figs. 1 to 3, the brackets being fastened to the walls and 52 andthe rollers operating on the inner flange surface of the I- beam fill to distance-stay Wall 52.

At each position of the staying means around the tank of Fig. 6 (one being shown) the launder is provided with a downwardly-extending pocket 68 for receiving the extended portion of the I- beam 6U when the roof is in its lowest position. When the roof is at its highest position the lower part of the I-beam will still be engaged by the sets of rollers, although the bottom of the skirt 58 may be near the top of the tank wall or near the liquid level in the launder. It will be understood that as many sets of rollers may be used on each track as desired, and the effect of the hydrostatic head of the launder liquid thus distributed. Rollers or shoes actually immersed in the' launder liquid may be advantageous, particularly in cases where the launder liquid is such that it provides good lubrication or serves to prevent corrosion.

While the vertically arranged tracks androllers associated with the launder (Figs. 1 to 6), and used as staying means for the inner wall, also act as guides tokeep the roof from rotating and from contacting the launder walls, it is necessary to provide some additional means, not shown, to keep the roof level, such as an outside guideframe, the cable arrangements used in the ap the wall 56] ,to the thermore, the launder may be of any depth even tothe extent otthe full depth of the tank, provided suitable staying means SlllTlClSIlt to with-- stand the hydrostatichead of liquid'in the launder are used. A series of rollers or other track engaging means may beused along each track if a track extension is employed as in Fig. 6. In this figure, rollers may be provided at the top of the tank in addition to those shown. Where shoes are used they may be faced with roller bearings.

The assembly of the rollers and tracks as illustrated herein accomplishes the purpose of the familiar stay-bolt employed to prevent two flattened surfaces from spreading apart when pressure is applied in the space between the two plicants Patents Nos. 1,894,536 and 2,050,707, or

the cables as adopted in the Graver patent mentioned above. The link means of application S. N. 423,259, filed December 17, 1941, may be used. However, Fig. 7 shows a novel arrangement of the flanged track-and-roller-staying means which avoids the necessity of employing additional means for keeping the expansion roof level. The construction as shown comprises, a tank having a cylindrical wall 1!) supporting a launder having an outer wall 12 and a bottom M; a roof plate '16 and a cylindrical skirt ill substantially centering in the launder. In Fig. 'T-the staying means also acts as a leveling means for the expansion roof and comprises a number of flanged tracks 85! distributed around the skirt l8 and fastened thereto in a manner that maybe similar to the tracks it in Fig. 5, except that the tracks 80 are mounted at an acute angle to the horizontal, for example 45 or Rollers mounted on brackets 82 and 84, set at the same angle and attached to the launder walls is and l2 engage the tracks 80 and tie the walls 10 and 12 together at distributed positions therearound.

All of the tracks Bil are mounted at the same acute angle and therefore cause the roof to rotate relative to the launder as the roof moves up and down. Furthermore the rotation of the roof of necessity causes all points of the skirt,

Where the tracks engage rollers, tomove the same distance and through the same rotation, regardless of the fact that one side of the roof may tendto rise or fall a greater distance than Y the opposite side. The roof is therefore kept surfaces; for example as used between the walls ofa locomotive fire-box and many other situations. The term staying means as used in the claims is intended to cover a structure equivalent to a stay-bolt, which is designed to permit the movement of an intermediate sheet between two stayed surfaces, and which is not permissible when ordinary stay-bolts are used.

Various modifications of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and it is to be understood that such modifications and adaptations of the invention ,are intended to come within thescope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention in its pre- .ferred form, what is claimed as new is:

1. 'In an upright cylindrical expansion-roof storage container for liquids and gases in which a cylindrical depending skirt of a bell-type roof seals in an annular launderon the periphery of the container, and in which the launder comprises inner and outer walls subject to the hydrostatic head Of sealing liquid therein for sealing said roof, an improved means far supporting the inner wall and preventing its collapse inward, comprising a plurality of staying means at distributed positions around the launder, the staying means at each position including a substantially vertically-mounted straight flanged track along each side of said skirt and fastened thereto, the tracks at each position being substantially opposite each other, and track-engaging members attached to each Wall at each position to engage the flange of the adjacent track, said track-engaging members being arranged so that they engage the faces of the flanges of said tracks adjacent to the skirt in a manner to act as Wall-stays while permitting free vertical movement of said tracks.

2. In an upright cylindrical expansion-roof storage container for liquids and gases in which sition including an upwardly-extending flanged in horizontal position. -When links are used as disclosed in said application the tracks will be mounted at a curvature determined by the link motion. i

Any suitable type of leveling means for the expansion roof may be used in connection with the vertical track-or-rail-staying means. i Furtrack and a track-engaging means on each side of said skirt, one of" which is attached to the skirt and the other of which is attached to the adjacent launder wall, all tracks be- I ing at the same angle to the'horizontal in one direction'around the launder, the track engaging means at each position on each side of the skirt being arranged to tie the skirt to the adjacent wall, said track engaging means being constructed and arranged So as to engage the faces of the flanges of said tracks adjacent to the member to which the tracks are attached in a manner to hold said walls from spreading apart at said positions and at the same time permit the up-and-down movement of said skirt in said launder.

3. In an upright cylindrical expansion-roof storage container for liquids and gases in which a cylindrical depending skirt of a bell-type roof seals in liquid held in an annular channel at the periphery of the container, and in which the channel comprises inner and outer walls subject to the hydrostatic head of sealing liquid therein for sealing said roof, an improved means for supporting the inner wall and preventing its collapse into said container comprising a plurality of staying means at distributed positions around the walls, the staying means at each position including an upwardlyextending flanged track along each side of said skirt and fastened thereto, the tracks at each position being substantially opposite each other and all tracks being at the same angle to the horizontal in one direction around the channel, and a roller attached to each wall at each position and extending over the flange of the track thereat, said rollers and tracks being arranged so that said rollers engage the faces of the flanges of said tracks adjacent to the skirt in a manner to hold said walls from spreading apart at said positions.

4. A container as defined by claim 3 in which each track is of a T-section and in which a roller engages the inside face of each flange of the T-section track.

5. In an upright cylindrical expansion-roof storage container for liquids and gases in which a cylindrical depending skirt of a bell-type roof seals in an annular launder on the periphery of the container, and in which the launder comprises inner and outer walls subject to the hydrostatic head of sealing liquid therein for sealing said roof, an improved means for supporting the inner wall of the launder and preventing its collapse into said container, comprising a plurality of combined staying and roof-leveling means at distributed positions around the .launder and skirt, the staying and leveling means at each position including a flanged track along each side of said skirt and fastened thereto at an acute angle to the horizontal, the tracks at each position being substantially opposite each other, and a roller attached to each wall at each position and engaging the face of the flange of the track thereat adjacent to the skirt, all of said tracks being arranged at the same acute angle in one direction around the launder so that said roof is caused to rotate in said launder as it moves up and down, whereby said roof is kept in a substantially level position.

6. In an upright cylindrical expansion-roof storage container for gases in which a cylindrical depending skirt of a bell-type roof seals in liquid held in an annular channel between upright concentric cylindrical walls, and in which the said walls are subject to the hydrostatic head of sealing liquid therein for sealing said roof,

an improved means for supporting the inner wall and preventing its collapse'into said container comprising a plurality of staying means at distributed positions around the channel, the staying means at each position including an upwardly-extending flanged track along each side of said skirt'and fastened thereto, the tracks at each position being substantially opposite each other and all tracks being at the same angle to the horizontal in one direction around the channel, and a track-engaging device attached to each wall at each position and extending over and engaging the face of the flange of the track thereat adjacent to said skirt, said devices and tracks being arranged so that said devices engage the faces of the flanges of said tracks in a manner to hold said walls from spreading apart at said positions and at the same time permit up-and-down movement of said roof.

7. A storage container asdefined by claim 2 in which said tracks are mounted at an acute angle to the horizontal whereby said roof is kept in a substantially horizontal position.

8. In an upright cylindrical expansion-roof container for liquids and gases in which a cylindrical depending skirt of a bell-type roof seals in an annular launder at the periphery of the container and is movable vertically therein, which comprises an outer launder wall and an inner sheet metal launder wall subject to the hydrostatic head of the sealing liquid in the launder, an improved means for supporting the inner wall against collapse comprising a plurality of staying means at distributed positions around the launder, the staying means at each position including a substantially vertically mounted flanged track and a track-engaging member within the launder on each side of said skirt, each track at each position being attached to one of the elements including a launder wall and said skirt, each of said track-engaging members at each position being attached to the other of said elements and engaging the face of the track flange thereat adjacent to the element to which the track is attached, said staying means being adapted to stay the inner launder wall with respect to the outer wall while permitting free vertical movement of the expansion roof.

9. A storage container as defined by claim 6 in which said tracks extend substantially below the lower edge of the skirt.

WILBUR G. LAIRD. 

